


For Chances Pass

by DanOfVulcan



Series: Momentos [9]
Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: Gen, Tuckerreed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-16
Updated: 2016-03-16
Packaged: 2018-05-25 17:02:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6203539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DanOfVulcan/pseuds/DanOfVulcan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Trip gets a piece of Hoshi's mind</p>
            </blockquote>





	For Chances Pass

_It's been two days. Two days since movie night,_ I think to myself. _I have barely seen Malcolm since, and ran into Hoshi a few times. That smile of hers..._

"Trip?"

Jon's voice breaks my reverie.

"I'm sorry. You were saying?"

Looking at me quizzically, Jon frowns.

"Are you okay, Trip? You seemed to be a hundred light-years away. What's on your mind?"

I give but a second of consideration before deciding it's best not to talk to Jon about this. Not yet, that is.

"Nothing. I'm fine" Jon doesn't seem convinced. His eyes tell me so, but neither is he going to press the issue. "Is that all?"

Jon nods, and I take my cue.

I stand, take my padd from the table top, and nod at him, exiting the ready room.

As I enter the bridge my eyes automatically dart to the tactical station, and I see Malcolm still isn't there. I reckon he must be on some other shift... T'Pol's looking immersed on her readings, and doesn't move her sight from the console in front of her. Travis nods at me and smiles, and then there she is. She wasn't there when I arrived to talk to Jon. She must've been out for a coffee or something... But she sees me. And smiles.

Now, I just wanna make my way out of this deck as soon as possible. I have the distinct impression that she's gonna...

"Commander, may I have a word with you?"

_There it is!_

 All I can come up with for an answer is a smile, not really stopping to give her a chance to catch up and, as I enter the turbolift, so does she. She stands by my side, and the damn thing had barely started moving when, very sure of herself, she extands an arm across my chest, hits the control panel, and the turbolift stops quite suddenly.

I look at her questioningly.

"Commander, I... Mmm..."

I raise an eyebrow in my best impersonation of T'Pol.

"Okay, I know I'm way out of line here, but so was I in the mess hall during the movie" she blurts out, my gaze never leaving her face. "Yes, Malcolm was staring at you. Quite pointedly, at that too."

She just looks at me, and I know she's waiting for a reaction of mine.

"So?" I ask, trying to maintain my voice as passionless as possible.

"So that what a linguist hears is not always what others hear, sir" and a strange, unreadable smile crosses her face for a moment.

"I'm not sure that I follow, Hoshi"

At that she looked at me, really looked at me. Her dark eyes piercing through my self, deeper than any sensor could possible hope to go, probing my very feelings.

"I hear more than just words, Commander. Tone, inflection, pace... All that tells me a lot. And from what I gather, Malcolm cares for you. I dare not go further than that, but of that much I'm sure."

I find myself staring at her silently. My lips trembling, my entire body tingling. She's so certain of herself, and here I am, struggling for words.

"Hoshi, I..."

"I know I'm intruding, sir, but I can't remain silent anymore. I'm not one to play matchmaker, but someone's got to help you two..."

I frown.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

She smiles.

"Sir, I've noticed how you act around him." I swallow hard. "You change. It's almost imperceptable, but you do. Like when we surprised him with the birthday cake." The memory assails me and I'm barely able to supress a smile. "There was fondness in your eyes, and a smile... Like the one you just held back." _Damn, how does she...?!_ "And so does he. He changes."

My breath has become shallow, and my mind is racing faster than warp 5.

She reaches over to the console, and hits the stop button, making the turbolift move again.

"I just thought you should know, sir. For chances pass, and we must act before an opportunity is lost."

I'm dumbfounded. Before I can muster my thoughts in a coherent fashion, the lift stops, the door opens, and as a crewman enters, Hoshi exists, taking a left turn.

_What the...?!_


End file.
